Twinkle "Star"

How this beauty is called,

"Egyptian Star Cluster",

I have no idea.

Locally known as "Pentas",

This tiny cluster of flowers make never-ending beauty in any garden.

Just look at the buds below,

Doesn't it look like a petite floral arrangement,

Complete with lovely foliage?

Furry alright and deeply veined....yet beautiful.

This shocking pink beauty is among its bold color collection.

Pentas is known for its gorgeous pastel colors.

Sad to say, I have none of them :(

I just love this stage where the buds emerged into flowers,

As shown below.

Maybe this is the reason they are called "star".

We all know that stars don't twinkle simultaneously.

But, one at a time.

(Hahaha..me and my lame analogy, lol!!)

This bold red color with violet center,

Has been in my garden for a year now.

And I'm still loving it!

Truly a timeless beauty,

It will grace any garden at any time beautifully,
Be it in pots or spread generously over the ground :)

Pentas or Egyptian Star Cluster

It was love at first sight when I first laid eyes on this beauty. I know right away that I gotta have it.

"Pentas lanceolata"  is my all time favorite flower, tiny yet captivating with heart melting pastel colors. These red ones, which is the boldest among its colors, with a touch of violet in the middle is really stunning.

On close-up, you can see that the leaves are furry yet harmless...and deeply veined.

When I brought it home from the nursery 5 months ago, it was just a tiny plant. I let it grow and get accustomed to my garden for a few months before re-potting it into a regular ceramic pot.
Just look at it now...

I must say, this is one of the easiest plant to grow. Doesn't need much attention at all yet the reward is spectacular. Regular watering and little fertilising is sufficient. No pests problem whatsoever.

Pentas, in my local language means "stage". When mass planting, this plant would truly make a fantastic "stage" in any garden. Great for container gardens too if you mix and match with the other colors. I'm on the lookout for the pink or lilac color to complement this red one. Most probably mix of pink and lilac in a white container :)

Regular pruning of its wilted and spent flowers would produce bushier plant and much more blooms!

I have always wondered why the name "egyptian star". Were they referring to the twinkle star above the Egyptian deserts or their 'curvy' belly dancer..LOL
No offence my fellow Egyptians, just a wild thought ... nothing more.

Have a great day !!

How it all started...

never thought i would be gardening, now i am

never thought i would have a blog, now i'm writing on it

-the houris-

Going down memory lane....
I have always loved the smell of fresh fragrant flowers. I would go to the florist every week to pick out some nice sweet scented fragrant flowers for my home. But it got more expensive by the week and at times it was  inconvenient for me to get out of the house just to replace those wilted ones.

Then I was wondering if I could have fragrant flowers in my home without ever having to leave home. 

My mind was telling me to start planting fragrant flowers at home. But where do I plant them? Will it survive? I live in a high-rise condominium with no balcony. What seems to be like a patio at the end of my living room was framed by huge windows. I looked at it with the strong sun soaking in it from morning till the afternoon everyday and realize therein lies the answer. Gardening by the window! I had doubts, of course, but I had to give it a try :)

Come, come, whoever you are,
-Rumi-

Welcome to my Garden!

It started with 3 pots of plants (jasminum sambac, evodia and yellow rose) stacked on a bench which I bought from Ikea and placed at the corner of my patio. The 4th pot (orange jasmine) had to sit on the floor because it was too heavy, and also no more space on the bench. 

After 3 months, the frenzy of having more plants set in :)
I guess it happens to all garden lovers! And what do you know?! My garden expanded!! There were more than 10 pots! Can you believe it? I can't either but that was it. 
The bench had to go to create a softer look. Not to mention the curtains! All gone for the love of my garden.

See what I mean...

Close-up view of the garden at the center of my patio.

I have enjoyed gardening ever-since and never looked back. The houris has left her magic touch in every plant that I brought in. I wish I could move to a house where I could actually garden to my hearts content. But for now, I thank God for blessing my tiny garden.

Now, lets have a closer look at all the flowers which have bloomed beautifully in the houris garden, shall we... 

"Murraya Paniculata" or commonly known as Orange Jasmine

Locally known as "Kesidang" or Bread Flower

Our local rose, known as "Ros Kampung" in yellow

Pentas or Egyptian Star Cluster

Plumeria Cultivar Rubra (pink)

Hyacinth in lilac

Mona Lavender

Angelonia (purple) or Summer Snapdragons

Daffodils

Our national flower, Hibiscus, in yellow

I wake up every morning to the sweet smell of freshly-bloomed fragrant flowers in my garden. Dream come true, really.

So, if you live in a high-rise condo and have passion for gardening, the houris have this to say, 'go for it'. All it needs is direct morning sun and plenty of tender loving care. Don't worry if you have a green thumb or not, actually, does the term really exist?

The houris can't help noticing the similarity fragrant flowers have on spirituality. Among flowers, the most fragrant ones are the ones in white. Highly spiritual people are usually very 'fragrant' people. They carry pleasant smell and people found themselves attracted to them. Their hearts are pure just like white flowers, with no black specks of dust. And their faces beaming with Divine lights or 'nur'.

Have a good day and may God bless your garden!